I wish it were possible to say that all Mercurians were good, but unfortunately this cannot be done. This second bilious type (Saturn being the first) produces members of the criminal fraternity which will be found in many penitentiaries and penal institutions, condemned for all manner of crimes. It also produces a class who have not yet reached the prisons, but who deserve to, even more than many of those who have been convicted. There is very often an almost imperceptible line which marks the place where shrewdness in business ends and actual dishonesty begins, and the Mercurian seems ever near the line. His natural shrewdness makes it easy for him to outwit his fellowmen, and the temptation for him to do so is great, often so great that he cannot resist it. The invisible line once crossed and the conscience being quieted, a second slip is easily made. Thus inch by inch even a good Mercnrian often degenerates from a sharp business man to a criminal, a liar, and a thief (109). When this class is engaged in bond speculations, or stock-jobbing enterprises, they are not often made to pay for their knavery by imprisonment; for they are keen enough always to have a loophole ready through which to crawl.

When they are merchants, they simply cheat their customers with ease and facility, and talk so glibly that the customer does not realize it. These high-toned thieves have fine hands, but crooked fingers of Mercury, grilled Mount, or bars on the Mount, cold Head lines, narrow quadrangles, and will often hide the hands from view, or will rub them in the Uriah Heep fashion. When a crooked finger of Mercury is seen on any hand (no) the thought of unusual shrewdness should at once come to the mind, and you should be on your guard and search for everything that will tell whether actual dishonesty exists or not. Having located a Mercurian subject, and finding a crooked finger of Mercury, be on your guard to investigate at once for actual dishonesty. This applies to whatever station in life your subject may occupy. If his position be high, you know that the temptation to overstep the line of honesty has often been great even though it has been resisted. With this crooked finger and other bad signs, feel sure that he will not resist very stubbornly.

No. 109. MERCURIAN THIEF.

No. 110. CROOKED FINGER OF MERCURY.

The criminal type of Mercurians are quick, sharp fellows, small in stature with dark complexion, shifting, restless eyes that either cannot face you squarely, or else look at you with a forced, brazen stare. The hair is straight and stiff, seeming to lack vitality. They are vile and criminal wretches. Gypsies are Mercurians, and usually of the dishonest class who stop at nothing. These bad types have crooked, warped fingers, twisted and bent inward, crooked, claw-like nails, grilled Mount, twisted finger of Mercury, bad or absent Heart line, cold Head line, narrow quadrangle, high, stiff thumb, and often the first knot of the Mercury finger developed. These are the bank robbers, pickpockets (see 109), sneak thieves, confidence sharps, and dishonest gamblers, who run to all kinds of crime and are criminals pure and simple. These people are intensely superstitious.

Thus you will see the great diversity of the Mercurian type. - how good or how intensely evil he may be. The first thing to do on finding a Mercurian subject is to decide to which class or grade he belongs, and what underlying forces he has. Then apply this knowledge to the side of type present, whether it be the oratorical, the scientific, the professional, business, or the criminal.

With this type note especially the pose of the hands; if he hides them, deceitfulness is indicated. The texture of the skin tells of refinement or coarseness. If you see bad signs do not be misled by a fine texture of skin, for you must remember that there are villains who wear fine clothing as well as rags. It will tell that, if villainy be present, it will be consummate in its skill, and so keen and fine in operation that a subject can go for a lifetime and never be found out. If it is the scientist, the lawyer, the physician, or the business man that is before you, fine texture of skin will tell of a refined nature that will operate in its special vocation with refinement back of it. Coarse-textured skin tells that coarseness will operate, and no such perfection is possible as with fine texture. Expect coarse-textured skin in lowcriminals.

The consistency of the hand will show the amount of energy, whether laziness and inertia or elastic vigor and intelligence are present. Flabby hands will ruin all hope of brilliant attainments, and fortunately these are not often fouud. Soft hands will indicate that there is something abnormal about your subject, for energy is a leading characteristic of the Mercurian type. To find any degree of laziness is unusual, and must be given full weight, as it will ruin the chances of success, whether the subject be lawyer, doctor, scientist, business man, or thief. Elastic consistency shows the normal condition and that the qualities of the subject will be highly developed in whatever direction they may lead him. Hard hands will show a tendency toward coarsening the type, and the keenness natural to it will be lessened, as the brain back of the hard hand does not work so rapidly.

Flexibility of the hands must be noted, for it shows an additional elasticity of the mind which makes these people brilliant subjects. Flexibility will make the doctor keener in his power of diagnosis, more ready to keep up with new remedies, and gives the intuitive faculty which aids so powerfully in estimating his patient. Flexible hands on a lawyer make him unusually shrewd, brilliant, and able to devise many avenues of escape for his clients; and to discover loopholes that a hard-handed lawyer could not see. The flexible hand on a business man makes him brilliant and keen, bul to be an extremist and extravagant in conducting his business. The stiff hand will take away much of the dash and brilliancy of the type, and is not often found on the best developed specimens. Old-fashioned ways a stingy habits are present when you find